Chapter One Hundred and Ten: Cousin Sister

  In this era, the women inside the house are all like this, husbands and love... those are all fake, can't be grasped. Only their own dowry and sons are important.

  Chunmo came over to Chao Sheng and whispered: "The princess has been taking medicine for days."

  "Huh?"

  "It's said to be the secret recipe for giving birth."

  Chao Sheng nodded: "Oh."

  Her bland reaction didn't satisfy Chun Mo: "This medicine is said to be expensive, it's made from rare stuff. Hmm, I heard that the Empress Dowager of Shou also takes this prescription. I think the Empress Dowager of Shou is even more anxious than our lady..."

  But having children is one of those things where being anxious on just one side often ends up being counterproductive.

  As soon as the tide was born, I heard that there were rumors that Shou Wang not only had a disability in his legs, but also some defects in certain aspects. Since getting married, not only has the big wife been quiet, but none of the concubines have any news either. Cheng Wangye is fine in this regard, after all, he just got married and went on a long trip, and this time he's only been back for a few months, so there's no need to be anxious like this.

  Chao Sheng handed her a book with various flower patterns, Chun Mo took it and slowly flipped through it, but her mind seemed to be elsewhere, her hands slowly flipping through the pages while secretly glancing at Chao Sheng.

  The house is just this big, and Chao Sheng won't be completely unaware. However, since Chun Mo doesn't speak up, Chao Sheng will absolutely not look for trouble himself.

  She and Chun Mo had a pretty good relationship in the palace, but now... Chun Mo was no longer by her side to serve together, so naturally their thoughts were also far apart.

  Chunmo's mind has never changed.

  Tides can't interfere with other people's thoughts.

  But if others put their minds on themselves, they can't afford it. Chao Sheng is not a soft persimmon that anyone can manipulate at will.

  "Tidal birth."

  "Huh? Which one did you choose?" Chao Sheng said: "This year it's not popular to have embroidery on the toe of the shoe, they're all embroidered on the side. Is this for yourself or for someone else?"

  "Give it to others..." Chun Mo closed the book in his hand: "Chao Sheng, what...do you plan to do?"

  Chao Sheng shook his head and said: "What plans can I have? Just want to learn the skills well with Aunt Li, and in the future it will also be a way to make money and eat."

  "Alright, alright, you still want to deceive me? Let anyone see, you're not even material for a kitchen maid."

  Chao Sheng said seriously: "What's wrong with being a cook? No matter what time it is, people will always need to eat."

  Even if the dynasty changes, the chef is not afraid of being unable to make a living.

  Chun Mo stared at her, and Cai was very calm.

  Chun Mo didn't say he believed it, nor did he say he didn't believe it.

  She casually picked two flower patterns and left. Chao Sheng wanted to tell her that the two embroidered shoe faces she had chosen were not suitable -

  However, Chun Mo was clearly not interested in wine, and except for mentioning the princess earlier, he had been asking about the Fourth Prince all along.

  For Chun Mo, the title of Fourth Prince was much more intimate than Wang Ye.

  This point is just like what Chaosheng said.

  The fourth prince spent most of his time in the study, and occasionally went to the main house, but the frequency... well, would never make people think he was indulging in carnal pleasures. In fact, many times it was someone sent by Lady Wen who came to invite him repeatedly before he would go over.

  The candidate for the position of Historiographer has been finalized, and it is Li Shen. This person is indeed capable, and with Qi Guanshi, one outside and one inside, things are in order without any mistakes.

  Chao Sheng slowly came to realize that the Fourth Prince wasn't as poor as he had thought. After the division of the estate, the Emperor would give each son some property, land, farms, mansions, and of course, money. However, in this era, people tended to value immovable assets more, such as land, which was always reliable because it was right there and wouldn't be stolen away. As long as there weren't any bad harvests, it would provide a steady income. How much land did the Fourth Prince have? Hmm, Chao Sheng didn't know the exact amount, but he knew it was definitely not little. Even if he wasn't a prince and didn't receive an annual stipend, relying on collecting rent from his lands would still allow him to live a comfortable life of luxury.

  The Wen family also had their own industry, with fields and shops. The couple's property situation was completely separate - the four princes on this side of the Wen family couldn't intervene, and the four princes on that side didn't ask about it either.

  Living in the same mansion, but having two systems of insiders and outsiders.

  Suddenly I had an inexplicable association, in modern times there are also some couples who completely split bills 50/50...

  But Chao Sheng's ideal love and marriage are not like this.

  Being poor is nothing to be afraid of. Two people can think alike, communicate smoothly and support each other... With a bowl of porridge, two people can share it together.

  Not like the Fourth Prince and Wen Shi...

  The weather is getting colder day by day, and Chao Sheng has already worn his padded jacket. In the small garden behind the Fourth Prince's study, the lotus flowers have withered, and the lotus pods have been picked by Xiao Shun and Chao Sheng. The last lotus leaves are also dry and wilted, looking somewhat desolate and bleak.

  But the fourth prince let the lotus leaf stay.

  "Can I stay and listen to the sound of rain on the lotus leaves?"

  The fourth prince glanced at her and smiled slightly.

  Chao Sheng really wants to explain that he isn't so elegant. It's just that in the past, there was a genuine and sentimental woman in the Red Chamber who wanted to keep a pool of discarded lotus leaves, all for the sake of "listening to the sound of rain".

  Getting up early in the morning, the sun has not yet risen, and a layer of white frost covers the withered grass and lotus leaves. From afar, it gives people a feeling of autumn's chill turning into winter.

  Chao Sheng adjusted his collar and used a duster to wipe away the faint dust on the window frame.

  There is a guest in our house.

  Wen's family's niece has arrived.

  Miss He is the daughter of Mrs. Wen's sister's family. Now that her parents have passed away, she lives with her maternal grandmother.

  But this woman, who had a similar experience to Lin's sister, was very different in temperament. This month, He Gu Niang has come several times, the first time she came, she took Wen Shi on a tour of the entire mansion, Wen Shi, even though she was very enthusiastic about her relatives, couldn't keep up with this cousin's boundless enthusiasm for sightseeing, and could only surrender, afterwards it was Qin He who accompanied this young lady.

  Chao Sheng had seen her once and thought...

  Some... aren't quite in sync.

  He Gu Niang was a beautiful woman with a slender figure, and could be considered a beauty. But the time Chao Sheng saw her, He Gu Niang had a full head of pearls and jade, giving off an impression that she looked top-heavy.

  Her appearance and speech are not the worst; what is most out of sync is her gaze.

  Those eyes... flickered with urgency, seemingly with a hint of greed...

  Just like a thief who has entered his master's house, with polite words on his lips but actually calculating which thing is the most valuable.

  Chao Sheng didn't like He Gu Niang from the very beginning, and never took a liking to her.

  Later, He Gu Niang came several more times, which further confirmed this idea for Chao Sheng.

  He Gu Niang's pretentiousness was quite great, every time she came back, she would bring at least four or more maids. Her clothes and jewelry were always luxurious and new, as for the servants like Chao Sheng, she wouldn't even give them a glance, as if not doing so would be insufficient to show off her noble status. Moreover, when staying behind to eat, she would pick and choose, asking for fatty chicken but then complaining it was greasy, asking for braised meat but saying it was salty, making Li Gu Gu so angry that she muttered under her breath: "Where did this Miss He come from? She says the food is bad, yet she eats so much?"

  The tide was born with a slight smile.

  "Auntie, look what you're saying..."

  "Did I say something wrong?" Aunt Li pointed at the returned dishes and said, "No one except Master has touched this. Can Princess Wang finish half of it by herself?"

  Chao Sheng looked at the small pot filled with braised meat and shook his head honestly.

  Mr. Wen's appetite and stomach capacity are not so big at all.

  "Most likely not a young lady from a noble family." Li Auntie stroked her chin: "The air of a nouveau riche, afraid that people won't know she has status, desperately putting on airs..."

  The three words "nouveau riche" are too apt.

  This is also what Chao Sheng wanted to say but didn't say.

  Auntie Li didn't just complain, she went to ask around for news.

  Auntie Li's news was very well-informed when she was in the palace, and it was also very well-informed after she left the palace.

  After she inquired and came back, it was confirmed with her previous guess that she had indeed guessed correctly.

  This Miss He's parents died early, and she grew up in the countryside. The only one who raised her was a wet nurse, Wen Shi. She was brought back by the Wen family just before the wedding. It is said that when she came back, Miss He's clothes were old and rough, and her behavior was wild and untamed, no different from those of street urchins. The Wen family has already spent a great deal of effort to train and educate her into what she is today.

  This news made Aunt Li feel very pleased, sipping her hot tea while smiling and saying: "A mountain chicken is still a mountain chicken, even if you dress it up with phoenix feathers, it's still a mountain chicken."

  I totally agree with this.

  Just like in the movie "The Lady of the Camellias", dressing a flower girl in noblewoman's clothes doesn't make her a noblewoman immediately.

  No wonder this He girl's gaze always makes people feel a bit off.

  Perhaps it was her past poor life that made her have a complex mentality towards everything now. On the one hand, she felt that all these were hers... But perhaps deep down in her heart, she dared not believe all this, fearing that this wealth and glory would suddenly disappear again, so she always wanted to grasp everything she could hold onto.

  After several times, Madam Wen was not very willing to entertain her niece either. Most of the people in the mansion were from the palace, who didn't have a pair of sharp eyes? He Gu Niang's behavior was enough to embarrass Madam Wen. However, she couldn't say "don't come again". Not only could she not say it, but when He Gu Niang came uninvited, she still had to greet her with good words and courtesy.

  After all, they were her natal family.

  As soon as she heard He Gu Niang was coming, Li Gu Gu's face immediately fell.

  Also, Auntie Li has always been confident in her craftsmanship. This He girl ate and drank, but finally had to severely criticize and praise her.

  If it doesn't taste good then don't eat it!

  After eating and drinking, it's not good to say anything bad, it makes people feel... too bloated.

  Man'er also complained to Chao Sheng: "This Miss Biao, really takes herself seriously. Last time she came, because the tea was too hot, she scolded Chunmo sister in front of everyone, pointing at her nose. If it weren't for Wang Fei speaking up, I'm afraid she would have hit her. She even told Wang Fei that we can't be too lenient with the servants and whatnot. Ugh, is she unable to throw her weight around in the Wen household, so she came here to show off?"

  Yes, that makes sense.

  He Gu Niang was a guest in the Wen family and a servant of the Wen family. She was afraid that she would not be able to scold and punish at will.

  After all, her surname is He, not Wen.

  There is such a cousin, enough to give Wen Shi a headache.

  However, her first headache should not be this out-of-place cousin of hers, but rather her own belly.

  Medicine has been taken all along, but Wen's family still hasn't sent out any good news.

  ————————————

  Saturday is my birthday.

  Cough, thickening skin to ask for votes, want to post stickers, want long comments～～～～

  Time is really a sharp knife... Now I always feel embarrassed to tell people that I'm going to have a birthday, because I'm afraid they'll ask how old I am.